The cornea is the clear front window of the eye that transmits and focuses light into the eye.

A corneal abrasion is a scratch or scrape on the cornea.

Corneal dystrophy is a condition in which one or more layers of the cornea lose their normal clarity due to a buildup of cloudy material. There are over 20 corneal dystrophies that affect all parts of the cornea.

An intrastomal corneal ring is a plastic ring designed to be implanted in the cornea, the transparent structure in the front of the eye. The aim of the corneal ring implant is to flatten the cornea in order to doing to correct or reduce myopia (nearsightedness). The ring is called an intrastromal ring because it is placed in the corneal stroma, the middle of the five layers that make up the cornea.

A corneal transplant (aka penetrating keratoplasty) is the replacement of a diseased cornea with a healthy cornea. The procedure is typically done under general anesthesia in an outpatient setting, although local anesthesia is sometimes used. Transplantation of the cornea may be indicated in cases of severe scarring of the cornea by injury or infection (as with corneal ulcers) and in genetic disorders such as keratoconus (inherited corneal thinning with visual distortion) and Fuch’s dystrophy (inherited corneal clouding with visual loss). The very limited blood supply of the cornea greatly reduces the risk of transplant rejection. Corneal transplants generally function effectively for many years.